


The Swordsman's Nightmare

by onoheiwa



Series: Bloodstained [2]
Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: Gen, Mild Blood, Minor Violence, Swords
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 05:04:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6409963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onoheiwa/pseuds/onoheiwa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a dying, violent world, the travelers are threatened and Kurogane loses control. </p><p> </p><p>Second part of the series "Bloodstained" but can be read as a standalone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Swordsman's Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PokeChan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PokeChan/gifts).



> I wrote "Monsters and Dreams" a few days ago on a whim, sparked by a writing prompt I found on Pinterest. PokeChan was pleased and wanted more like it, so this and any subsequent works in the series are gifts for Pokechan. All of it is about Kurogane's fear that he'll lose control, get lost in bloodlust and lose himself to the violence and grace of sword fighting.

Fai was not sure how it had happened. Between one breath and the next the world had fallen apart, the earth shaking under the roar of fury echoing across the barren landscape. The darkened sky, scattered with hazy clouds breaking up the crimson light of the dying sun, made the rocky ground look eerie and dangerous, the scattered brush offering little in the way of life or attractiveness. The magician wondered how he was even able to breathe with no plants to convert the noxious fumes from the underground fires into oxygen. Small and jagged hills dotted the horizon, breaking up its clean line though not so much as to be impassible or even difficult to traverse. Altogether, it was a barren and dismal land and it should not have been a surprise to find dangerous individuals living in it.

  
Whether the whole of this world was as depressing as this area could not be determined, though it mattered little. It was bad enough that poor Mokena could not control the location of their landing and had dropped them in the middle of a desert, roamed only by bandits and thugs patrolling the area and hoping to chance upon defenseless travellers. Their little band was anything but, but even they could be caught unawares. Perhaps the emptiness of the land, silent except for the wind and a few snuffling rodents buried in the dirt for the countless days they had wandered, had led to them becoming relaxed and lazy. Not even Kurogane’s sharp senses had heard the approaching band until their camp was surrounded, weapons directed at them on all sides and hostility heavy in the air.

 

Syaoran had stepped forward, as usual, to explain their doings and ask for help but had been summarily shut down by a spear thrust under his chin before he could speak more than a handful of words. Kurogane had tried next, attempting the more gruff but straightforward approach, calmly but sternly telling them to back off before things got ugly. None of them noticed Sakura serenely stepping toward the nearest vagrant, smiling sweetly and trying to bring about a peaceful solution like only she could. None of them were prepared for the man to lash out, striking the princess with the back of his hand and holding a gun to her head where she had fallen to the ground.

 

Syaoran, standing only feet away, had quickly jumped in front of her, redirecting the muzzle of the weapon and guarding his beloved with his own body. Fai had felt righteous anger flooding his veins and was prepared to disintegrate every last man down to dust when Kurogane’s roar had thundered across the plain.

 

His sword unsheathed and glinting ominously in the dull red light, eyes blazing like fire, the swordsman leapt at the nearest attacker, removing his head from his shoulders before anyone had the chance to take their next breath. Cardinal tears fell from the blade and splattered through the air, smattering against the dead man’s companions, their eyes widening in shock, barely even registering the monster they had unleashed before they too fell to the earth decapitated and dying.

 

Blood fell like rain as Kurogane practically flew across the ground, felling each and every thief in a matter of moments, his sword flashing faster than sight, removing limbs and ending lives with finesse and terrifying grace. Fai looked on in awe, hardly able to breathe, admiring the beauty inherent in the swordsman’s fighting ability, the elegance with which he swung his blade, the speed with which he moved, the masterful control of his body and how smoothly he directed each turn, each step, each pivot and slide and thrust and cut. He was a reaper, lost in his dance and glorious to behold. He had never been more frightening nor so beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [tumblr](onoheiwa.tumblr.com).


End file.
